Gone are the days when bicycle users – milkmen, newspaper boys, ice-stick vendors, students and even government employees – used to be the heartbeat of the city. Cycling, once a universal symbol of human empowerment, has now become a mere sport or exercise for many.
‘Trivandrum Cyclathon 2016,’ organised by Stark Event Expo Pvt. Ltd along with the district administration, is pegged as a positive step towards the re-establishment of the bicycle as an ideal mode of travel. It also aims at promoting cycling as a prime fitness activity. “Cycling is an eco-friendly means of transport. So, we are aiming to project the idea of ‘Green Trivandrum’ as well with the cyclathon. We have some seasoned riders here at Stark. That’s where the idea for came from,” says Jayesh Parambath, coordinator of the event. It is said to be Kerala’s first ever organised mass cycling event.
Many cycling enthusiasts in the city are geared up for the event. Prakash Gopinath, founder of Indus Cycling Embassy (ICE), recalls the time when a large number of people in the city used to ride bicycles. He says: “That was some 20 years ago. Then it all came down, with people shifting to bikes, scooters and cars. But in the last two years or so, several people, particularly youngsters, have taken up cycling as an exercise as well as for commuting. I only used t o ride cycles as a fitness activity. Now, I cycle short distances inside the city. It is faster than any other vehicle during peak traffic hours”.
For technopark employee Leena Eappen, the cyclathon is a chance to roll back the years. Back in her school days, she says she was the first kid in her class to own and ride a bicycle. “I was really proud about it back then. I used to ride a lot. Then I got busy with my life. Since my marriage, I haven’t had many opportunities to ride bicycles. Nowadays, I only ride when I visit my native place, during vacations. The cyclathon will hopefully help me revive my relationship with the bicycle,” she says.
Even though there are a few cycling clubs in the city, most cyclists are those who ride on their own. Rajesh Madhavan, a seasoned rider and a member of Trivandrum Bikers Club (TBC), believes that the cyclathon can become a common meeting point for cyclists in the city. Rajesh adds: “Cycling is also the most advised fitness activity after swimming. For me, it provides physical fitness as well as peace of mind. It helps avoid a lot of lifestyle diseases too.”
Others are excited about the initiative because it promotes an eco-friendly way of life. Rajani Nair, homemaker and ICE member, says that she is up for anything ‘green.’ She believes that any environment friendly activity needs to be promoted. “If the event can persuade people to embrace cycling, then it can bring down the pollution and reduce the carbon footprint. This time around the number of ladies participating seems to be less. Even I was a little reluctant at first. It was my friend Aravind Mohan, an experienced rider, who encouraged me to participate. I want to show my friends that this is a wonderful event in which anyone can participate and hopefully many of them will join me the next time around,” says Rajani.
On your mark…
The cyclathon will be flagged off from Manaveeyam Veedhi at 5 a.m. on February 14. “We would like to finish it before the morning rush, even if it is a Sunday. There are three kinds of rides. ‘Champions Ride’ is a competition ride of 40 km that involves six laps of 6.8 km each. There is also a non-competitive fitness ride of 14 km of two laps and a kids ride of 2.5 km,” explains Jayesh. The lap is an uneven one that starts from Vellayambalam to Kowdiar, Pattom, Plamoodu, PMG, Museum and then back to the start line. For more details, check, http://trivandrumcyclathon.in/
